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Accidents · NTSB LAX04LA087 · Final report

Cessna 421C accident near Window Rock, Arizona, January 3, 2004

On January 3, 2004 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Cessna 421C, registered N911EA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Window Rock, Arizona (Window Rock Aiport airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).

The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged

the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed in the landing flare to compensate for airframe icing, which resulted in a premature stall and hard landing. The degraded aircraft performance due to airframe ice was a contributing factor.

Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.

What the record shows

Date
January 3, 2004 · about 10:30 pm local time · cases in 2004
Place
Window Rock, Arizona · Window Rock Aiport · cases near this airport · map
Type
Accident
Injuries
No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
Weather
instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
Aircraft
Cessna 421C · all 421Cs on the register
Registration
N911EA · registry record · serial 421C-0870
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)

The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record

The airplane landed hard on the left main gear. The pilot was attempting to execute the VOR/DME-A circling approach in instrument meteorological conditions, to include icing and gusty wind conditions. The pilot believes that during the approach, the airframe accumulated airframe ice. Prior to touchdown, in the landing flare, the airplane stalled prematurely, impacting the runway hard.

The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.

The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English

Pilot

  • Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
  • Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
  • Flight time: 11,000 hours in all
  • Last flight review: February 18, 2003
  • Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
  • Seat: frt
  • Injury: no injuries

The aircraft

  • Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
  • Maximum gross weight: 7,500 lb
  • Seats: 8
  • Landing gear: retractable
  • Engine 1: Continental GTSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
  • Engine 2: Continental TSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
  • Operator: Scenic Aviation INC

The flight

  • Departed from: FLG Flagstaff AZ at 9:43 pm
  • Destination: RQE Window Rock AZ
  • Flight plan: IFR
  • Runway 02, 7,000 ft by 75 ft

Weather at the time

  • Light: daylight
  • Wind: from 260° at 14 knots
  • Visibility: 1 statute miles
  • Sky: broken clouds at 900 ft; clear
  • Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
  • Altimeter: 29.76 inHg
  • Observation at 10:10 pm from RQE

Injuries

FatalSeriousMinorNone
Crew1
Passengers4

Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report

The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.

Connections how this case links to the rest of the register

Aircraft
Place
Analytics

The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/LAX04LA087.json.

The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.

Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.